Thursday, January 24, 2013

Random Squares Stencil Test Drive- And A Giveaway

Random Squares just has "fun" built into it. Something about it reminds me of the mosaic imagery used by Gustav Klimt in "The Kiss."

I wanted to try to use the stencil to create mosaic-like squares.

To begin, I used my gelli plate, the Random Squares stencil and fluid acrylics (Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold, Magenta, and Iridescent Gold) to make some prints on wax paper. I then glued the deli paper onto sheets of tin foil to give them strength and malleability.

Next, I mixed glass bead texture gel with Jaquard Pearl-Ex Pigment in Antique Gold, to make the gel very sparkly. I placed my stencil back over my Gelli printed papers, and dragged the glass bead gel medium through with a wide painting knife. It created amazing texture. (I made sure to vary where I put the stencil, so you could still see the gelli printing underneath.)

Once the bead gel dried, I cut out the raised squares to create mosaic "tiles." (These are what I used to make the cape in this post!)

I had a pasta box in the recycling bin that I thought I could use to make something. I liked the window.

I painted and glued some gelli imprinted paper into the inside, re-assembled it, turned it upside down, and cut it into the shape of a little house.

I made some more gelli prints using the Random Squares stencil, deli paper and tin foil, but without the raised glass bead gel. I used this to wrap the outside of my little house (adhering with double stick tape and tacky glue), and then used some of the more textured paper to change the shape of the window to give my structure a Moorish feel.

Thank you for visiting!
I read and treasure every comment and will answer any questions as quickly as I can.

Giveaway: What is your favorite way to use stencils? Let me know in the comments section by 1/27 for a chance to win my Flying Tulips stencil! UPDATE: Congratulations to Theresa N for winning this stencil!

That's an amazing transformation! You make it look so easy and fun. Lately, I been using ink with my stencils in reverse, the negative side is sometimes more interesting. Sometimes not, but it is fun to play.

You are so creative ~ making the squares into mosaic tiles was inspired. And I'm going to have to start thinking carefully about the things I throw in the trash or recycle bin... This is a wonderful little shrine. The orange and gold just sparkle!

This shrine just warms my heart, Jessica. The colors, the textures, oh my.Well, you know me.. I'l all about texture. I love pushing molding pastes and caulking through. Then there is paint and spray ink too. Just to much fun to have.

Love this stencil! Love your site! Just started following it today (found you via Carolyn Dube....love her site too!). So many inspiring talents and things to try....so little time :( I love stencils and use at least one on pretty every project I do, whether with spray inks, paints, modeling pastes...they are so versatile!

Everything in your post is so stunning I'm left gasping for breath. So far my favorite ways to use stencils are as layers in my art journal pages. I'm still learning to use layers on top of layers and not quit too early in the process. My favorite color medium is Dylusions, followed by Distress Ink. Used to be the other way around...sorry Tim, the Dylusions are so freeing and fun, I can hardly stop myself once I get to spraying. Occasionally I'll use a stencil to trace shapes and then cut them out, but by far my favorite method is to spray or ink through the stencil. I've made masks for parts of some of my stencils so that I can layer even further. I love the look of masking something and either stamping or spraying over it.

I have to say your use of the glass beads and the stencil is amazing and I love the way you transformed the box so while I like the other projects I have to say this is a fav. Thank you for sharing your techniques!

As a painter, I am new to using stencils at all but my new forays into more abstract work have introduced me to them. They are perfect for getting an interesting layered background quickly. LOVE the random squares and am looking forward to trying relief patterns with my stencils.

WOW! What a transformation of a pasta box!!! Thanks for the tip about mixing your glass bead with pigment. I have always painted it after it was dry--have to try this. I think Buddha is going to love his new home :)

I love this post! So glad I stumbled onto it (from Diana Trout's blog). I have never seen such a beautiful pasta box (I see inspiration in the window, too). I would love to also be entered into the contest! How I personally enjoy using stencils is by dabbing the shapes with water-color enhanced sponges. I also enjoy the technique of blowing various inks through the spaces of the stencils to create varying shading effects. The possibilities are virtually endless! :)

This has been so much fun following everyone on your stencil drive. I think I find my favorite way to use stencils, and then I visit another blog, and then that method becomes my fave. Everyone is so talented and I get so much inspiration from all of you. I couldnt even pick a fave stencil because they all are so much fun!!! Thanks.

Love the colors! The shrine reminded me of some churches in Mexico I had seen.I have the Hebrew stencil and used modeling paste;when dried I used 3 different colors of Inka-Gold to color them like strips of ribbon.Turned out very nice and eye catching.

What a treasure you turned that box into! Gorgeous use of stencils. I just purchased your Hebrew stencil. I hope to use it on fabric. Hope that enters me in the giveaway for a chance to win another of your wonderful stencils. Enjoying reading/seeing about their use on Seth Apters blog too.

oh jessica your process is just wonderful! How i wish you will also have your video soon because it will be lovely see how you work! Love the texture and the glittered beads. I use stencils as background or sometimes as a focal point. I am still learning as this is my first. :)

This is totally amazing. I love the vibrant colors and the texture you achieved with the glass bead paste is fabulous. Sensational creativity with the ziti box. You sure set the bar high with our Spruce it Up challenge over at Frilly and Funkie. Thanks so much for joining in the fun with us!

This is amazing! I am so grateful to have found your blog! My favorite way to use stencils? Well,after years of holding my creative goddess captive, 2013 is the year to free her and let her roam and explore. I haven't used stencils yet, but I will be using them very soon. I suspect one of my favorite ways to use them would be in art journals. I love what Seth Apter and Carolyn Dube did and I also love the amazing shrine you created.

Jessica, I heart the way you combined glass bead texture gel with Jaquard Pearl-Ex Pigment in Antique Gold! I have lots of Pearl-Ex Pigment, and you've inspired me to play with it again!!♥♥♥Happy PPF!!MaryMixed-Media Map Art

Love that you recycled a pasta box into a beautiful temple! I haven't tried the glass bead paste but I just found some texture paste in my stash and am playing around with it-First thing I did was use it thru a stencil. I love using stenils any way I can think of for added interest and layers.Thanks for the chance to win this stencil!

So glad your stencils are such a success... everyone is loving using them... and I think they are very reminiscent of Klimt... looking forward to what you produce for your next post... great fun watching all this wonderfulness emerge ...xx

Buddha will be right happy to live in your pasta temple. My favorite way to use stencils is probably with sprays, however, I have recently started using them to make rubbings with colored pencils. I work with kids and sprays are too messy, acrylics take too long to dry, so I've been looking for dry ways to color a background besides collage. Stencils make excellent rubbing plates!

Jessica, this is beautiful. I always love visiting and seeing what you are doing. You asked on my post if I intentionally painted my open windows while I wrote about expansion. I didn't. I posted my paintings, then just wrote what I was grateful for that week. It was amazing how they fit together perfectly. I am not sure I even thought about it until you asked the question. So thank you for posing the question that made me look a little deeper into the subject. Have a great week.

LOVE what you used to make the ziti box shrine. So cool. I have always loved using stencils for my art journaling pages. Now that I have a gelli plate I love using stencils with that. I'd be so excited to win your flying tulips stencil. It was my birthday last Sunday and winning would be a nice gift! Thanks for the chance, Jessica. Should I be the lucky one, please email me at bkisrael@gmail.com. Thanks so much.

Talk about UP-cycling! Love your ziti box/budha display shrine. Fabulous!!! I love to use my stencils with various mediums to create texture and I am a glass bead medium aholic. Do you know of any 12 step programs for my kind? LOl.

Awesome! What a clever way to reuse materials in a truly artistic manner. I know you are using it for a Buda, but it kind of reminds me of the Southwestern missions. By the way, I love Klimt's work, so I can see the resemblance in the patterning. Blessings!

Hey there Jessica, your altered cereal box does appear to be sturdy and looks like a mighty fine creation. Go Girl! I'm so glad to find you on the net:) A great project for my young art students (ages 3 to 13). When teaching the Element "Color", our projects include various kinds of printmaking, including stenciling. We actually use cereal boxes that we cover with gesso and print various ways on those sturdy surfaces. My favorite way to use stencils back in the 60s was with the Adele Bishop stencils. I studied all about Moses Eaton (the original stencil master in the 1800s) and the gypsy in me wanted to live the life that Mr Eaton lived. I was so hooked, I stencilled on everything in my new little home: on walls, fabric, metals, Through the years I began to design my own stencils and my husband would painstakingly cut them out :) I still have some. And, I still love stenciling. At 70 years now, my latest use of stenciling is to combine it with my encaustic works. But, my all-time fav is stenciling on walls to create that Early Colonialism design feature :) I still admire Mr Eaton.

Wow love your shrine...very regal!! To be honest I don't have many stencils but I made my own out of paper and did a huge art piece on canvas out of them and it's one of my favorite large canvases hung in my bedroom!!

Hi Jessica, I just found your blog while surfing the net looking for interesting stencils. I use the few stencils I have for my journals, and mixed media canvases. I haven't tried the beaded texture, but I love the outcome for your squares. Thanks for the tutorial, and the chance to win your stencil!

Great transformation Jessica! To make into a shrine is something wonderful. I haven't had the chance of using stencils much. But I do love the idea of using it like silhouettes...I have always imagined the skylines of cities as stencils to give a silhouette look. Also it would be a great technique for layering as well :)

This is absolutely fabulous ...your creativity and all those efforts have totally transformed a boring pasta box to a stunning shrine...Love the idea of using stencils and would definitely like to give it a try :)

What a cool idea! I love the texture of the glass beads gel, and the idea of cutting it up in little mosaic squares is brilliant. I've seen some of the other posts with this stencil, and the outcomes are very special. Great stencil, great work!

Oh my gosh, Jessica, this altered box is fantastic! I love what you've done here - a total transformation - and it's incredibly unique with your customized tiles. I popped over and glimpsed the cape... AMAZING. Thank you so much for joining us at eclectic Paperie!

This is awesome! I love what you did to transform the pasta box into a magical shrine. I would love to try this technique with stencils. I must admit I've been using mostly digital techniques but am eager to transform a box like you did.

I love stencils. I love to place them on a journal page i'm doing and mix some molding paste and w/acrylic paint and spread over the stencil with a art spatula. Makes for great texture. I'm also loving my gelli plate. I got mine last friday and havn't stopped using it since. Oh the possibilities.

What great creative ideas you have here. This was my first visit to your site. I like to use stencils to create unique art cloth. I use them with thickened procion dyes, fabric paints, paintstiks, and with soy wax as a resist. I've also used them to monoprint both on plexiglass and gel plates.